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by jacqs30
Summary: Being a Damon-fan-first, I have some issues with how he's being treated this season. IMO, Elena is taking him for granted & I think she needs a wake-up call. If she can earn him back, that's awesome. If not, he needs to find more to focus his existence upon like friendship. I'm not promising a Delena happy ending but I'm not saying it won't happen. Come along for the ride!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: I'm ignoring at least one major plot point that has happened in the last two weeks. In this fic, Jeremy isn't dead. I'm going with Katherine bringing along some other poor human to use to feed Silas instead of sacrificing Jeremy.**

Chapter 1

Damon watched as Elena sat close to Stefan smiling and talking, then placed her hand on his arm. When he had escaped from Vaughn and made his way back to the beach he had anticipated finding his girlfriend distraught over his disappearance, not cozying up to his brother. He shook his head as he continued toward them.

Stefan was the first to notice Damon's approach. "Damon! Where have you been?"

Elena jerked her hand away and stood up, running to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Are you okay?"

Damon closed his eyes to steady his emotions, leaving his hands by his sides. "I'm fine. Glad to see you weren't worrying yourself too much over me being missing."

Elena pulled away and stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Look, we have to find Bonnie and Jeremy or we have no chance to find the cure. And that's why we're all here in hell so let's get moving."

Elena looked at Stefan, who was watching his brother carefully. "Damon, what happened while you were gone?"

Damon looked at his brother. "A little torture, a little vervain, met another one of The Five who is after the cure to kill Silas. No big deal. I escaped and I'm here so let's get this done so we can get back to Mystic Falls."

Rebekah watched the interaction between Elena and the Salvatore brothers. As much as she hated what Damon had done to her in the past, she could see the hurt in him as he had watched the woman he loved cozied up to his brother all the while not knowing what had happened to him. He was working hard not to show that pain but it was something Rebekah recognized from experiences over her many centuries. 'What is happening to you,' she thought? 'Get a grip, Damon isn't someone to feel sorry for. He uses every advantage he can get to ensure he has the upper hand. You'd be well served to remember that silly girl.' She could hear her brother's clipped tone invade the last of her thoughts. She pushed her thoughts aside and joined the rest of the group as they planned their next steps.

One week later:

Elena walked into Damon's bedroom and sat on the edge of his bed, waiting for him to get out of the shower. Since they had returned from the island, there had been tension between them and she was determined to talk through it today.

He walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair wet. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," she replied. "Can we spend some time together today? I feel like something is wrong but you won't talk to me about it."

Damon got dressed as Elena waited for him to say something. Finally he sat down next to her on the bed. "I've spent the last 3 years doing everything I can to make you safe and happy. You know how much I love you."

Elena nodded. "I know." She turned toward him and slid her arm through his. "And I love you."

Damon shook his head. "I want to believe that, Elena. But lately, I don't know. I don't even think the sire bond makes you love me like you love Stefan. Like I need you to love me."

Elena's eyes filled with tears. "What do you mean? I'm with you, Damon. I told Stefan that I'm not in love with him anymore and that I am in love with you."

"I know you did all of those things. But Elena, I saw you with him while you didn't know where I was. And I've seen you when Stefan or Bonnie or Jeremy or Caroline was missing. When any of them were missing you were tearing up all of Mystic Falls or Tennessee or Georgia trying to find them. I was missing and you were sitting on a log having a heart to heart conversation with my brother."

Elena stared down at her hands and realized that his words were true. That was exactly what she had done. What she didn't know was why. She knew she was in love Damon with all of her heart. She loved Stefan but was no longer in love with him. She looked back at Damon and saw tears in his eyes now too. "Damon, I love you. I don't know why I reacted like I did on that island but I know that I love you and I want to be with you. How can I prove it to you?"

"I don't know that you can. I don't think I spend the rest of my existence wondering if my brother is going to win your heart back and you'll leave. I need to be the only one and for you, I don't think I will ever be that."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Her tears began to stream down her cheeks.

He wiped her tears away and gently kissed her lips. "Yes, I am."

TBC

**Love to hear your thoughts on the first chapter. It's hard for me to break up Delena but I want Damon to know he is "the one" and right now, there's no way he can feel that he is. Not yet anyway.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm very interested to see what reaction I get from this chapter. I am still thinking through ideas in my head of what I want to happen. So feel free to send me your comments and suggestions. Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

Damon sat on his bed after Elena left. He had actually done it. He had broken up with her. This time, not because his brother told him it was the right thing to do but because he knew it was. The last few weeks had made a few things clear to the elder Salvatore brother. First, he had centered his existence on a woman who still wasn't his alone. Second, he was tired of settling for less than what he really wanted. Third, he was going to either break free of Elena and Mystic Falls for good or he would be sure it was him she wanted above all including his brother.

He realized that he was completely unsure what to do to deal with the pain he was feeling. His first inclination in the past would have been to find some young co-eds to party with and feed from. Nothing about that option sounded appealing. His second instinct would be to meet up with Ric at the Grill for whiskey and sarcastic banter. But his best friend had been gone for longer than he cared to remember and there wasn't exactly a line forming for fill-in best friends. And even though his relationship with Stefan was improving, he didn't want to drown his sorrows with the man with whom he currently shared Elena's heart.

As he left his house, his car seemed to find its way to the Grill. He sat in the parking lot for quite some time before he walked inside and sat at the bar. Matt was working and stared at him for a moment before putting a shot glass and just-opened bottle of Maker's Mark Whiskey in front of him.

Damon smirked. "You've talked to Elena I suppose?"

Matt nodded. "She loves you, you know that right?"

Damon nodded. "I know. And you know I love her. Sometimes that's not enough. Not when you're not the only one."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"You and me both, Donovan." As Damon downed his third shot, he heard the door open and the click of heels on the floor. He couldn't muster the energy to even look at the woman who had entered. He simply had no interest in even looking at a woman today. However, it seemed either he or the easy access to the alcohol had her attention as he heard the heels click closer to where he sat. As she sat on the stool beside him, he looked up to make a snide comment.

"Don't even start, Damon. I'm having a bad day too and I don't need you to make it worse." Rebekah took the wind out of his sails and left him speechless. "Wow, no comment at all? That's refreshing."

"Shut up Rebekah." Damon knew it was a weak comeback but she had caught him by surprise. "What's so bad about your day?"

"I've spent the past week looking for Katherine after you told me she had stolen the cure. And you're right; she is exceptionally good at hiding. I can't find the bitch anywhere."

"Still haven't given up on the 'being human' dream huh?"

Rebekah stared at him. "Still haven't given up on winning Elena's heart from your brother huh?"

"Ouch."

"Yeah well you bring out the worst in me, what can I say?" Rebekah reached over the bar for a shot glass then took the bottle of whiskey from Damon's hand to fill it. She knocked back the shot and poured another before setting the bottle back in front of Damon.

Damon had spent years building up walls to shut out feelings – his and those of the people around him. But now that he had Elena tear those walls down he could feel the pain that came from the ancient vampire sitting next to him. "That's really all you ever wanted, isn't it? To be human?"

Rebekah kept her eyes straight ahead and Damon thought she was going to ignore him. "Yes. The only thing I ever wanted was to know what it was like to have a human life, human love and a human family. As you know my brothers aren't exactly warm and fuzzy to say the least. I wanted more."

"You know, as much as it pains me to say this, we are a lot alike."

"You have got to be kidding. You would never want to be human, you said as much."

Damon shook his head. "Not the human part. The wanting love and acceptance part."

Rebekah looked at him warily. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing. I don't have the energy to be plotting against you. The only reason I ever did any of that in the first place was to protect Elena. A lot of damn good that did me."

"You know, I saw you on the island last week. The look on your face when you saw Elena with Stefan when you got back to the beach. You truly love her, don't you?"

Damon nodded. "Yeah. I do. But I want someone to love me as much as I have loved her the past three years. And she doesn't love me like that. Or she would have been searching for me, not having a cozy conversation with my brother."

Rebekah slid off her barstool. "Do you want to play a game of pool?"

"With you?" He smirked at her then followed her to the pool table. "I'll even let you break. Who said I'm not a gentleman?"

Elena walked into the Grill, Stefan right behind her. As they came around the corner they spotted Damon and Rebekah at the pool table. Damon looked up and spotted his brother with Elena. As the three vampires stared at each other, Rebekah stepped in front of Damon. "You deserve better, remember? She needs to prove to you that you're the one."

Damon looked at Rebekah and saw her smiling at him. Her hand was on his arm and he realized that she had no ulterior motive and was offering him sincere advice. "You're right. And she just walked in her with my brother. Not exactly a good first step. You wanna get out of here?"

She nodded. "Wherever you want to go."

She followed him out the back door of the Grill as Stefan and Elena watched.

TBC

**Would love to hear what everyone thinks so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

**My twin, this chapter is for you. **

Chapter 3

Damon watched as Rebekah poured them glass of wine from one of Klaus' most expensive bottles. "Your brother is going to be livid."

Rebekah smiled sweetly. "Yes, I know. What's the point of being the bratty little sister if I can't torture my older brother?"

Damon shook his head. "I never realized how thankful I should be to have a brother. I was surprised you suggested we come back here. You know your brother despises me."

"Yes, well he is out of town so nothing to worry about."

"So what did you have in mind?"

She handed him the glass of wine. "Some wine and some conversation. Don't make more out of it than it is, Salvatore."

Damon held up his hands. "Down tiger. It was just a question."

"I don't have ulterior motives. Neither of us has many friends and we're more alike than it first appears."

"In my experience, having friends only leads to more pain. Everybody leaves."

She sat next to him on the couch. "Being alone is better?"

Damon didn't meet her eyes. "It's safer. It's easier."

"It's lonely and it's miserable and you know it."

"So you're going to be my friend, huh?"

Rebekah put her hand on his arm causing him to look at her. "Yeah, I'm going to be your friend. And you know what? You're going to let me."

He stared at her and despite his former misgivings about her, he believed she was sincere. He smiled and put his hand on hers. "Yeah, I'm going to let you. I've never had a female friend before. Other than she-who-shall-not-be-named. And that wasn't pure friendship obviously. Hell the only real friend I've ever had was Ric and we weren't exactly normal."

Rebekah laughed. "Normal? I'm not sure anything about us is ever going to be normal. But we can be here for each other and listen. That's what I've heard friendship is all about."

Damon smirked. "We're a pair, you know that right? Two outcasts finding each other. It should be a movie."

Rebekah sat back on the couch and pulled Damon with her. They sat side by side staring up at the ceiling. "I don't particularly like being called an outcast."

"If the shoe fits."

She stared at her feet. "What do my shoes have to do with anything?"

He laughed and put his hand on her leg. "Nothing, it's a figure of speech. I forget you've spent the better part of the last hundred years in a coffin." His voice trailed off as his phone rang and he saw Elena's name on the caller id. He pressed the Ignore button and put the phone back in his pocket.

"She-who-shall-not-be-named?"

He nodded and drained his glass of wine. "I need more wine. Better yet, something stronger. Surely your brother appreciates fine whiskey."

Rebekah nodded. "He appreciates most things that are expensive." She stood and walked slowly to the bar.

Damon watched her as she moved and realized how beautiful she was when she wasn't trying to kill all of Mystic Falls. "You really are beautiful, you know that?"

She turned to face him, unable to keep the skeptical look off her face. "I'm not like the same silly girl you seduced before, Damon. A few sweet words won't work on me anymore."

"I'm not trying to seduce you. I'm being honest. You are different than before. You're being real with me and I'm doing the same. And you're beautiful."

She rewarded him with a genuine smile. "Thank you. You're not so bad yourself. But then again, I'm pretty sure you already know that."

He smiled, though it was less heartfelt than hers. "My confidence isn't what it used to be I'll admit."

"Don't let her do that to you. You have given her everything and if she's willing to let that go, that is her loss."

He moved quickly and pulled her to him. "I know it's not right and I know we will both regret this tomorrow but I really don't want to feel anything right now except how it feels to be with someone who wants me. Do you want me?"

Rebekah looked in his eyes and saw her own vulnerability and hunger reflected back to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him deeply. "Yes."

TBC

**Two wounded souls finding each other….deep friendship forming or more?**


	4. Chapter 4

**So either I made all the Delena fans so mad they stopped reading or you guys are going along on the ride with me. I am hoping for the latter! I'm looking forward to seeing how this journey continues. **

Chapter 4

Damon returned Rebekah's kiss, pulling her against him. Rebekah held onto him, pressing against him and then pulling him towards the stairs. "Upstairs. Now."

He smiled as he kissed her again. "Bossy much?"

She smiled back and pushed him against the wall beside the staircase. "Are you arguing with me?"

"Depends on what that makes you want to do to me." He ran his finger along her cheek and down her neck before grabbing her long blond hair and pulling down, forcing her head back and exposing the sensitive skin of her neck to him. He licked from her collarbone to her ear, then whispered, "Take control. Do what you want with me."

She shuddered as the heat in his voice coursed through her. There weren't many men who could bring her to her knees with just words but Damon Salvatore was proving to be capable of just that. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs. As they got to her bedroom door, she pushed him through and followed, pinning him against the wall in front of her bed. "As you wish, Damon." She pressed against him and felt her stomach lurch at the groan that came from him. Sex with Damon before had been intense but she was certain it would pale in comparison to this. There were no lies between them. She wasn't looking for love and he wasn't after anything from her other than the comfort of being close to someone who gave a damn.

They undressed each other quickly, hands everywhere, tongues exploring. They made their way to her bed, stumbling more like clumsy teenagers than decades-old vampires. Rebekah pushed Damon onto the bed and looked at him. He was beautiful. Dark hair, blue eyes, that smile and everything else that came with the package. He smiled up at her and raised his eyebrows, silently questioning what she was waiting for.

She pounced, straddling his waist and pinning him underneath her. "This is going to be fun."

He chuckled. "It's not like you don't know that already."

She shook her head and sat up, still straddling him and letting him look at her naked body above him. "This is better. No ulterior motives. No lies. Just two people who want the same thing."

He sat up and pulled her to him, kissing first her lips, then her neck, then lower. "Don't keep me waiting, Bekah."

She smiled and pushed him onto his back. "Impatient man."

He grabbed her hips and together they moved, both of them gasping as he slid inside her. She held still, her body gripping him tightly. "Damn."

She smiled as she leaned down to kiss him as she started to move. "Told ya."

He flipped her over so that he was on top of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. Both of them groaned at the contact, starting to move feverishly against one another. Time faded into the distance as they kissed and touched, moving together, flipping each other over and each taking their turn on top. Finally they collapsed side by side, exhausted and satisfied.

Rebekah watched Damon, his eyes closed as he relaxed. She wondered what was going on inside his head. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw her watching him. "What?" he asked.

"Just wondering what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking that you are one amazingly talented woman."

She giggled. "Well, thank you. You have some talents yourself, Mr. Salvatore."

"Regrets?"

"Is it tomorrow already?"

"Seriously. Do you regret what we just did?"

She shook her head. "What's to regret? We're both single and well over the age of consent."

He smiled. "We also have a bit of a past and we're trying this whole friend thing now."

She snuggled against his check and put her arm over his hip. "Not trying. We are friends, Damon. Do I think it's a good idea to make a habit of having sex? No. But we both needed to feel wanted tonight. There's nothing wrong with that."

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "What if I want to make a habit of it?"

She looked up at him. "Damon, you are still in love with Elena. You know that and I know that. This was a one-time thing to get us through a tough time. I want this friendship thing to work."

He kissed her forehead. "You're right. And it pains me to ever admit that someone other than me is right."

She giggled. "Yes I am aware. Are you going to stay here tonight?"

He nodded. "If it's okay with you. We can go back to the 'just friends' thing in the morning?"

"Sounds perfect. Get some sleep, love."

TBC

**What do y'all think? **


	5. Chapter 5

**The more I write this fic, I must admit I'm torn between Delena and Debekah. This isn't a position I am used to being in so I'm going to enjoy it and see where the muse takes me!**

Chapter 5

Damon watched Rebekah sleep. He didn't feel any regret for the previous night even though he thought he should. If he loved Elena as much as he thought, shouldn't he regret having sex with Rebekah? Was his humanity so far gone that he didn't have a conscience?

As he laid there and watched her, he realized that it wasn't that he didn't feeling anything. He felt protective of the woman lying beside him. He felt a kindred spirit with her that he had only felt once before, with Rose. She was his friend despite their rocky beginning. What he couldn't identify was the intensity of his attraction to her. It wasn't purely physical, if it had been he would have left last night. He knew it wasn't love; it was too new and too sudden to have developed that far. What he wasn't prepared for was the doubt it cast in his mind for his feelings for Elena. He knew he loved Elena. He had loved her from the moment he first connected with her on Wickery Bridge the night her parents died.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Rebekah shift closer to him. He looked at her and realized she was staring at him with her big pale blue eyes. "Good morning beautiful," he whispered.

She smiled. "Good morning handsome. Sleep well?"

"Extremely. Nothing like a good workout in bed to make me sleep like a baby."

She shook her head. "You're bad."

"And you like it. Or you did a few hours ago."

"Oh I like it. As much as I'd like to hide out here all day, I think it's time to face reality."

Damon frowned. "I'm not so much a fan of reality."

Rebekah smiled, a little sadness shading her eyes. "Me either. But it's there either way. Hey," she tilted his chin to the side to force him to look at her, "it's not like anything is ending here. You have plenty of other stuff to deal with I know but you and I, we're good."

His smile mirrored hers. "I'm not sure how we got to this place but I'm thankful. I'm not typically good at this friendship stuff but I'm going to give it my best shot."

"Same here. I'm going to get in the shower. Are you going to be here when I get out?"

Damon shook his head as he leaned over to kiss her softly. "If it's time to face reality, might as well get it over with."

Rebekah nodded. "I'll talk to you later?"

"Guaranteed."

Damon walked into the Boarding House and turned toward the stairs that led to this bedroom. Stefan came into the foyer. "Where have you been?"

Damon turned to stare at his brother. "Are you my keeper now, brother?"

"Elena has been trying to get in touch with you since last night. She's frantic."

"I'm sure you were there to swoop in and comfort her, Stefan. I'm fine. I just needed to get away from all of this for a while."

"All of what, Damon?"

He rolled his eyes. "Are you serious? We love the same girl, Stefan. And she loves both of us. Nothing about this is normal or healthy."

"Oh and having Rebekah as your new BFF is normal and healthy?"

Damon smiled. "I was waiting for that. Rebekah is my friend. There's nothing sordid or odd about it. She and I are quite a lot alike and she understands me."

"Does she? Did it ever occur to you that this is another plot of Klaus' to get to us and to Elena?"

"Interesting how a week ago, you and Rebekah were thick as thieves but now that she and I spent one evening hanging out, it's some plot to take over the world."

Stefan stared at his brother. "Do you have any idea how upset Elena is about you breaking up with her? And then seeing you at the Grill with Rebekah last night? And then you ignore her calls all night?"

"I wasn't trying to upset anyone. Sometimes I need to do something for myself and not take care of everyone else. Give me a little slack here, baby brother. I'll call her as soon as I get a shower. "

Stefan turned and stomped off without saying anything else. Damon watched him for a moment before shaking his head and walking up the stairs. He turned on his phone and saw that he had half a dozen messages from Elena from throughout the night. He listened to each one and started to feel a bit guilty at the panic that increased in Elena's voice with each message. He decided a shower could wait a little longer and instead dialed her number. He heard a phone ringing inside his bedroom. He walked inside and found her sitting on his bed.

"Damon," she ran towards him but stopped short. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I didn't mean to worry you. I had my phone turned off."

She sighed with relief. "I thought something might have happened to you. When I saw you leave with Rebekah I wasn't sure what to think."

Damon smiled. "Rebekah is my friend. She's no danger to me."

Elena hesitated. "Your friend? Since when?"

"Since last night. She and I aren't that different. But that's not why you were calling me. Have you been here all night?"

She nodded. "Stefan was trying to keep me calm. I'm still not good at controlling my emotions. Damon, I love you. I don't want to break up."

"Elena, I know that you love me. But you don't just love me and I want someone who just wants me. You spent the first part of the time on the island pouting because Stefan brought Rebekah and getting into arguments with her. The second part you spent having cozy chats with him while you had no idea where I was or if I was okay. Don't you understand how much that hurts?"

She saw the pain in her eyes and it finally hit her. She had said she had let go of Stefan months ago but she hadn't. Not fully. She said she wanted him to move on and be happy. But when she had seen him with Rebekah, she had been jealous. No other word for it. And when Damon was missing, she chose to talk to Stefan about the cure and why he would want it, asking him why he hadn't confided in her. And in the meantime, this man who loved her more than his own existence or happiness had been tortured in the search for the cure that he didn't even want her to have. But he had done it for her because it was what she wanted.

Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him. "I am so sorry, Damon. What can I do to make it up to you?"

"I don't know, Elena. I need to see that it's me you want and not Stefan. That means you can't run to him every time we disagree or I do something you don't like."

"What about Rebekah?"

"What about Rebekah? She's my friend. Not my ex-girlfriend."

"So you can have her as a friend but I can't have a guy as my friend?"

Damon smirked. "Wow that's a leap. Don't do that. Stefan is one guy and happens to be the guy that you told me multiple times would always be the one for you. I think the situations are a little different."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I just don't trust her. And I don't like her."

"I don't particularly like Bonnie or Caroline but they are still your friends."

Elena smiled. "Okay, okay I get it. So you'll give me another chance?"

Damon looked at her and saw the face of the girl he first fell in love with. The one he could never say no to before. "It's not that simple."

She looked at him, curious and a bit hesitant. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we can't go back to the way things were before we left for the island. I love you. That hasn't changed. But things have changed. We're not the same, nothing is the same."

"Where do we go from here?"

"I think we start with a date. Something normal."

"You mean like going out to dinner and a movie date?" Elena smiled as she put her hand in his, intertwining their fingers.

"Or a blood bag and Netflix, whatever you prefer. But yeah, that's the idea."

She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in to kiss him. As she got closer she caught a scent that was slightly familiar but not because of Damon. "You smell like Rebekah. What the hell, Damon?"

She raised her hand to slap him but he moved out of her reach. "Calm down Elena."

"Calm down? You slept with that slut and you want me to calm down?"

"She's not a slut."

"That's all you have to say?"

He sat on the edge of his bed and looked at her. "We were broken up. I don't have to explain my reasons to you. Elena, I love you. I'm not perfect and I'm not Stefan. I don't always do what you want me to do. I'm not going to apologize for that. You can accept that about me or not. I can't twist myself to be what everything you want me to be. Until I'm good enough for you the way I am this won't work."

TBC

**Can Elena accept what she sees as Damon's betrayal? Are Damon's feelings for Rebekah more than friendship? **


	6. Chapter 6

**I know it's been forever since I posted and I apologize. I hope you guys are still interested in seeing what happens. :-)**

Chapter 6

She stared at him and realized this time she wasn't going to get her way. "You're everything to me, Damon."

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. And I don't need to be everything. I need to be enough. Let's cool off for a few days and sit down and talk over coffee or dinner later this week. Okay?"

Tears filled her eyes. "Okay. I love you Damon." She kissed his cheek and walked out of his bedroom. The tears were quickly replaced by anger as her emotions continued on the roller coaster ride they had been on since she turned.

She pulled out her phone and sent Stefan a text to see where he was. It took a few minutes but he replied he was at the Grill having lunch with Caroline. She asked him to meet her at her house after lunch and he agreed. She took her time walking home trying to decide what her next move would be.

Damon stretched out on his bed and stared at the ceiling. The last couple of weeks had been a whirlwind of activity and emotions. Activity he could handle; emotions, not so much. He realized that he could sit around and brood and become more like his brother than he had ever intended or he could get out and do something. Was it too soon to call Rebekah to hang out again? Now he sounded like a teenager. If he wanted to call her, he should just call her. Right?

Rebekah stared at her phone. She had thought about calling Damon to see if he wanted to do something. But she didn't want to appear to be a clingy teenage girl. She was the one insisting on just friends and didn't want him to get mixed signals. 'Oh I'm being ridiculous,' she thought. 'If I want to call him, I should just call. Right?'

Stefan pulled up to Elena's house and saw her waiting on the porch. He walked up the sidewalk, up the few steps to the porch and sat next to her on the swing. "Hey. How did your talk with Damon go?"

She looked up at him, anger boiling just beneath the surface. "He slept with Rebekah."

Stefan grimaced. "Ouch."

"He's mad that you and I were hanging out last night but evidently it's okay that he sleeps with that slut."

Stefan put his hand on her arm. "She's not a slut, Elena."

She glared at him. "That's what he said! Does she have you both wrapped around her little Original finger?"

Stefan stood up and walked over to lean against the porch railing. "Calm down, Elena. What did he say about us hanging out last night?"

"He said that I can't run to you every time he does something I don't like or we have a disagreement. He said that's part of our problem, me always running to you."

Stefan smiled slightly. "Like you are now?"

She glared at him again. "What do you mean?"

"Elena, how long after you left Damon did you text me?"

The fire drained from her face as the realization hit her that she had done the exact thing Damon said had to stop. "Oh."

"He loves you Elena. And you love him. It hurts me to say that and to know it. But it's true. And just for the sake of full disclosure, let's keep in mind that you slept with him within hours of us breaking up."

She crumpled back against the porch swing and began to cry. "Oh god, everything he said was right. Stefan, what am I going to do?"

"You have to figure that out for yourself, Elena. I can't help you."

She nodded. "You're right. I have to prove to him that he's the one I want. Or I lose him forever."

Rebekah paced the living room and thought about the night before with Damon. They had gone from biting each other's heads off at the bar to much more pleasant activities in her bed. But they had also agreed that they were just going to be friends starting this morning. And that's what she wanted. She also wanted to see her friend today. She wasn't used to having true friends and she realized how much she had enjoyed honest, sincere company last night. She just needed to woman up and call him.

Damon stared at the phone in his hand as he paced his bedroom floor. It had been hours since he left Rebekah's house. And bed. They agreed they would talk later today. So it made sense for him to call. He dialed her number and waited on her to answer.

Rebekah heard her phone ring and she grabbed it off of Klaus' desk. It was Damon. She smiled as she answered. "Good afternoon, Mr. Salvatore."

He chuckled. "Good afternoon, Ms. Mikaelson. How are you?"

"No complaints here. It's a glorious day in Mystic Falls."

"Indeed it is. Care to get out into the gloriousness of the day with your new friend?"

She smiled at his carefree attitude considering the state he was in early last evening. "I'd love to. What did you have in mind?"

"I'm thinking a hike and a picnic."

She held the phone away from her ear for a moment and stared at it. "A hike? And a picnic? Damon, are you feeling okay?"

He laughed. "Yep, I feel great actually. I thought some activity outside away from couches and beds might be the best course of action for our next friendship outing if we're going to stick to our resolution from last night."

"You have a good point there sir. A hike and picnic it is. I'll bring wine if you bring the food."

"How about you meet me at the Boarding House in an hour? We can leave from here."

"I'll be there. Damon?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you called."

She could hear his smile come through the phone. "Me too, Bekah."


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm in the midst of catching up on the last 8 episodes of the season. It's got me inspired to finish this fic and see where it leads. Thank you for sticking with me this far; let's keep the ride going and see where it leads! All reviews are welcome and appreciated!**

Chapter 7

Rebekah pulled up to the Boarding House and put her brother's car in park. She was certain he would have a fit when he realized she had been driving it while he was gone. And she was more certain that she didn't care. She grabbed the wine from the passenger's seat and walked up to the door.

Damon met her on the step, picnic basket in hand. "Ready?" He offered his arm as he shut the door behind them.

She smiled and threaded her arm through his. They walked at a leisurely pace through the field adjacent to the Salvatore property. At first they stayed quiet, neither sure what to say.

Damon was the first to speak. "Do you think being human again would be what you've imagined all of these years?"

Rebekah felt her defenses rising until she looked at Damon. He wasn't teasing her or trying to pick a fight. He was genuinely curious. "I don't know. But I know it's what I've always wanted. And this is my one chance to try."

"Does it scare you?"

"It terrifies me. But giving up my one chance at it scares me more."

Damon smiled, his blue eyes shining in the sunlight. "You're brave. I think you would make it what you want."

She smiled back at him. "I don't know if it's brave. But it's what I want and nothing about my existence these last thousand years has been what I wanted so I have to try."

"Where would you go?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe back to Chicago. I loved it there in the 20s."

"I don't remember much about the 20s. It's a blur." Damon smirked as Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"The parties, the clothes, the music. It was glorious. If you had to pick somewhere to live for the rest of your existence, where would you choose?"

Damon thought about that. "I guess I would pick Mystic Falls. Assuming I could still visit other places. No matter the downsides, this is my home."

Rebekah smiled at his sincerity. "People misjudge you."

Damon smiled back. "I like it that way. Much less pressure."

After an hour of walking, they decided to have their lunch and wine. Damon opened the bottle while Rebekah pulled food out of the basket.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Damon asked as the cork released from the bottle with a quiet pop.

Rebekah stared at him, incredulous. "I think we're past formalities, Damon. We've seen each other naked. Several times as a matter of fact."

Again, Damon smirked. "This is different. This is emotional personal versus physical."

"Women don't really draw that line. But either way, go for it."

"Were you in love with Stefan?"

Rebekah looked up at him and saw that his eyes were serious and he wasn't smiling anymore. "At the time, yes I was. What I know now though is that the Stefan I knew isn't the real Stefan. What we had was based on the side of him that he despises."

"But it was the real you that loved him."

"It was a much more naïve me. What I felt for him is done. It's the past. I don't love him, Damon."

He nodded and concentrated on pouring wine for both of them. "Just curious."

"I'm not Elena."

His head snapped up and his eyes blazed. "I never said you were."

"Easy boy. I'm just stating a fact. Stefan is my past. You're my friend. He has done nothing to earn my trust; in fact he has done the opposite."

Damon nodded and settled back on the blanket, taking a piece of cheese out of the container and popping it in his mouth. "I wasn't trying to compare you to her."

"It's natural with everything that's going on. You need someone you don't have to share."

He smiled and this one was real. "I don't share well. You get me."

"Me either. Look, another thing we have in common."

That night, Elena sat on her bed with her journal open on her lap. She stared at the blank page and had no idea what to write about. It never used to be hard to write. The words flowed on paper as easily as if it was an extension of her mind. But with everything that had happened over the past 3 years the words refused to come most days. It was as though they wanted to stay buried; like that made what happened less real.

She thought about Damon. That was what she thought about most these days. She knew she loved him. So why couldn't she let Stefan go completely? She cared about Stefan but the love she felt for Damon was what she had always longed for and then fought for so long. How could she prove to him he was the only one when she couldn't fully understand her continued attachment to Stefan?

_Dear Diary,_

_I love Damon Salvatore. He's impulsive, dangerous, sexy, loving, gentle, passionate, and inappropriate at times; good-hearted, infuriating, spontaneous and unpredictable…he's more than I can put into words._

_I care about Stefan Salvatore. He came into my life when I needed all of the things he has to offer. He's solid, stable, caring, gentle, and noble. He always does the right thing. My heart craved his love when the rest of my world had fallen apart._

_Damon's love is all-consuming. Stefan's love is comfortable. I don't want to spend my existence being comfortable. I want passion and excitement and yes, sometimes I want dangerous and inappropriate._

_Damon is the one I want to spend eternity with. So why can't I let go of Stefan? Why do I continue to run to him when things don't go my way with Damon? Why do I do that to Stefan and Damon? It hurts them both. It's selfish of me to pull Stefan into my relationship issues with Damon when I know he still loves me. And it's unfair of me to throw that in Damon's face after everything he went through with Katherine choosing Stefan over him. Over and over._

_I have to break my connection to Stefan and let Damon know once and for all that he is the one I want. I choose him. Not Stefan._

_First order of business, I have to talk to Stefan and let him know that I can't be his friend. At least not until Damon and I work through our issues. Maybe down the line when things settle. Maybe then._

_Then I have to show Damon that I'm serious when I say he's the one I want. Maybe I'll suggest we get out of Mystic Falls and settle somewhere else while we work things out. That's what I'm going to do. _

_So Diary, tomorrow my new life begins. Closing the door on my past with Stefan and walking through the door to my future with Damon._

Elena smiled and closed her diary. She switched off the lamp and snuggled down in her bed. Tomorrow things would be different. She was going to start proving to Damon that she wants him and only him.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Elena has decided what she wants and what she has to do to get it. Now she's going to let everyone know. How will the Salvatores react? Hope you guys enjoy!**

Chapter 8

Elena woke up earlier than normal the next morning. She was anxious to get started with her task for the day. While she dreaded her conversation with Stefan, she was sure he would understand why she had to do it. Once she got past that she could see Damon and tell him what her plans were for them.

She showered quickly, twisting her hair on top of her head instead of taking the time to fix it. She sat down in front of her laptop and started doing searches to find ideas of where she and Damon could move for their new start.

By 8:00 she had a list of options saved in her phone and was ready to head to the Boarding House for her conversation with Stefan. She hesitated, unsure if Damon would be there. Instead of driving straight there, she sent Stefan a text to see if he would agree to meet her at the park near his home.

Stefan replied that he could be there in 20 minutes. Elena confirmed then checked her appearance in the mirror. The drive would only take her 10 at the most so she took her hair down and shook the waves out. As she glanced back she realized how much she looked like Katherine if she left her hair completely natural.

She picked up a brush and pulled it through her damp hair, pulling out as much curl as she could before pulling it back into a severe ponytail. She didn't want to remind either brother of Katherine today.

She grabbed her phone and purse then headed to her car. As she drove toward the park, she mentally rehearsed what she would say to Stefan. She knew this was not going to be easy. She cared deeply for the younger Salvatore brother and the idea of hurting him broke her heart. But she had to do what was right for everyone and that meant letting Stefan go so she could commit fully to Damon.

As she parked in the gravel lot beside the park she saw Stefan sitting on a picnic table waiting for her. She checked the clock on her dash and saw that she was a couple of minutes late. She walked quickly to where Stefan sat and perched beside him. "Sorry for being late. I must have left later than I thought."

Stefan smiled, his eyes dark as though he knew why they were here. "Not necessary. I am fairly certain this isn't a conversation that either of us is looking forward to so no hurry."

She looked down at her hands. She couldn't look at him. "You know I care about you Stefan." She could see him nod from the corner of her eye. "And you know I love Damon." Again he nodded. "The way I've held on to both of you isn't fair. Not to either of you."

Stefan put his hand on hers. "I get it, Elena. You need to break our connection so you can focus on Damon and show him that he's the one you want and not me. I've been waiting for you to get to this point for a while now."

She looked at him. "Do you hate me?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. I love you, Elena. But I'm not the one you want and I accept that. Damon is. I'm still working on accepting that part. But I won't try to stand in the way of your happiness or my brother's."

"Maybe someday we can be friends again?"

Stefan tried to smile but the sadness overwhelmed his face. "Maybe. I think it's time for me to get out of town for a while. Give you guys some space and clear my head." He stood up and started walking toward her car.

She scrambled off the table and caught up to him. "I don't want you to have to do that, Stefan. I was actually thinking it would make more sense if Damon and I left. He's always said that he can only stand to live here for so long before he needs to move on. And the idea of starting over is pretty appealing to me too. Somewhere I'm not the girl who lost her parents."

"Your friends are here, Elena. And you still need to finish senior year."

"Your friends are here too. I don't want you to be alone, Stefan."

"You have to focus on yourself and Damon. I can take care of myself."

She nodded, realizing that Stefan was cutting her out of his life because he knew she wasn't able to make the clean break. "Is Damon home? I need to talk to him too."

Stefan looked at her and didn't say anything at first. "Um, you might want to call him. I'm not sure where he is right now."

Elena looked at him suspiciously. "I think you do but you don't want me to know."

Stefan shook his head. "I'm not going to put myself in your relationship with Damon. I'm just saying to call him like you gave me the courtesy to do instead of just showing up."

"Ok. Sorry. Thanks for meeting me on short notice."

Stefan nodded and held her door open for her. "Take care of yourself, Elena."

She looked up at him, fighting to keep tears out of her eyes. "You too, Stefan."

He shut her door and walked away, disappearing out of sight before Elena had her phone out of her pocket. Next up, talking to Damon.

Damon looked at his phone as it began to vibrate. Elena was calling. He thought about ignoring it but that wouldn't do any good as she would likely keep calling until he answered. "Hey," he said.

"Hey! Are you home? I wanted to come talk to you."

She sounded nervous he thought. "Could we meet up in a couple of hours? I've got a few things going on right now that I need to finish up."

There was a quiet pause as Elena considered the possible reasons why Damon wasn't agreeing to her coming there now. Her first thought was that Rebekah was there. But she didn't want to come across as a jealous shrew before she had a chance to tell him about her conversation with Stefan. "Okay, sure. Where do you want to meet?"

Damon could hear the disappointment in her voice. But he knew that if she came here now and found Rebekah here she would jump to the conclusion that they had spent the night together. Which they had. But not like that. They had held fast to their "just friends" agreement. "How about the coffee shop?"

"Okay I'll be there. Two hours?"

"Sounds perfect. I'll see you there." He hung up the phone and looked up to see Rebekah standing in his door way wearing one of his t-shirts and a pair of shorts that threatening to fall off her slender hips. "Good morning, Bekah. Sleep well?"

She nodded. "I did. Thanks for the clothes and a comfy bed to sleep in. I'm going to head out. I'll bring these back next time I see you, okay?"

He nodded. "Sounds good. I had fun yesterday. And last night. This friendship thing is working out pretty well."

She smiled. "I told ya it would. Have a good time with Elena."

He looked at his phone then at her. "Wish me luck. I'm not sure what's going on but I'll find out soon enough. You want breakfast before you leave?"

She shook her head. "No thanks. Let me know what happens with Elena, okay?"

He got out of bed and walked over to her, hugging her against him. "I will. Thanks for being here."

She hugged him back and kissed his cheek. "My pleasure. You make a good friend too, Damon. Ric was lucky and so am I."

He smiled as she bounced down the stairs and out of the house. He couldn't help but notice how sexy she looked in his clothes with her hair messy and no makeup. They may have vowed to be just friends but he was still a man and she was hot. Time for a shower and get ready to meet Elena and see what was going on there. He really hoped there was no life and death drama. He was enjoying the break from that.

Elena was turning out of the lot at the park when she saw Rebekah in one of Klaus' vintage cars drive by. From the direction of the Salvatore Boarding House. Wearing one of Damon's t-shirts. She felt her stomach clench in dread as she imagined Damon making love to Rebekah. Again. Her eyes filled with tears. Was she already too late? Had he given up on her and found someone else?


	9. Chapter 9

**Now it's Elena's chance to tell Damon what she's decided. Will he be thrilled that she has broken off contact with his brother? Will he love the idea of leaving Mystic Falls behind and starting over with her somewhere else? Will his friendship with Bekah get in their way?**

Chapter 9

Damon found a table set apart from the others and settled in waiting for Elena. He was a few minutes early and decided to enjoy the quiet. The waitress brought him the coffee he ordered then left him to wait.

Elena rounded the corner from the parking lot and saw Damon sitting at a table toward the back of the outdoor seating area. Her heart sped up as she drank him in. His dark hair was blowing around in the slight breeze and the black t-shirt he was wearing clung to his trim body. She was going to fight with everything she had to keep this man. Rebekah or not, they belonged together.

Damon saw Elena walking towards him and smiled. She was beautiful and in that moment, he saw the girl he first fell in love with three years ago. He stood and held her chair as she sat down across from his seat. "Good morning Elena."

She smiled at him. "Good morning Damon. Thanks for meeting me."

He settled back in his chair. "Of course. Is something wrong?"

She tilted her head and looked at him strangely. "No, nothing's wrong. Why would you ask that?"

Damon laughed. "Seriously? Think back over the last few years Elena. Most phone calls and chats have something to do with your life being in danger."

Even Elena had to see the humor in that. "Ok, good point. No danger here. I had a talk with Stefan earlier."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh here we go."

She held up her hand to interrupt him. "Wait. Let me finish. I met with him to tell him that I can't be his friend anymore. That I have to honor what you've asked from me and that means no more running to him any time I have a problem or we have a disagreement. So it's done, Damon. He understands."

Damon stared at her, amazed she had done the one thing he needed most in order to think he could be the only one for her. "And you're okay with doing that?"

She nodded. "Yes. If that's what it takes to prove to you that you're the one I want, the only one I want, then yes, I'm completely okay with it."

Damon smiled. "I'm glad. I don't want you to do something for me that will make you miserable."

She reached across the table and wrapped her hands around his. "Being without you is the only thing that makes me miserable."

Damon squeezed her hands but wasn't sure what to say. He had been anything but miserable these last few days but wasn't going to say that to her. "Is Stefan going to leave town?"

Elena smiled, ready to share the next part of her plan. "No, we are."

Damon blinked. "What?"

She practically bounced in her seat with excitement. "We're going to leave and start over somewhere. I did some research this morning and made a list of possibilities." She pulled out her phone and started scrolling through the list. "We could stay in the US or leave the country. So many possibilities! I know you love New York and Atlanta. We could go to California. Or Canada. Or Europe. Or we could pick a small town somewhere completely obscure. I don't care as long as we are together."

Damon watched the excitement play on Elena's face as she rattled off all the choices she had put together. He wanted to share her excitement. This was everything he had hoped for over the past 3 years. Instead of excitement, he felt dread and anxiety which were feelings that were foreign to him.

Elena watched the emotions play over Damon's face and realized that none of them mirrored the excitement she felt. "Damon? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I wasn't expecting you to want to leave Mystic Falls, that's all."

Elena nodded. "I know. But there's so much sadness and bad history here. I want to start over fresh. I don't want you to see places where I chose Stefan over you. I don't want to be reminded of losing Jenna and Ric and my parents every time we turn around."

Damon watched her. "What about Bonnie and Caroline and Matt and Jeremy?"

She smiled. "There are these handy little gadgets called cell phones. And cars and airplanes. We can visit. We have forever, Damon."

"I need some time to think about it, okay?"

Elena frowned. "Where's my 'spontaneous' Damon?"

"Spontaneous is good when it comes to making a short-term decision. Leaving our home deserves more thought."

She watched him carefully. "Does this have anything to do with your new friendship with Rebekah?"

Damon sighed and sat back in his chair. "I was waiting on that. This has nothing to do with any one person. It has to do with Mystic Falls being my home. Rebekah asked me yesterday if I had to choose one place to live for the rest of my existence, where would I choose. I said Mystic Falls. This is my home and no matter where I go temporarily, I always come back here."

Elena wanted to get angry. She wanted to be mad that he had shared that with Rebekah before her. But she knew that she had no right to be angry. Not with everything she had put him through over the past three years. "Okay, I understand. All I ask is you give me a fair chance to get you back."

Damon looked at her oddly. "What do you mean?"

Elena sat back and pulled her knees to her chest, her feet on the chair. "I know I've hurt you. I don't deserve to have you trust me again. But that's exactly what I want. And I am willing to do just about anything to make it happen. I know you have the attention of another woman right now. She's beautiful. She's charming when she wants to be. And she hasn't done the things to you that I have. So all I ask in return is that you give me an equal chance to show you that I'm the one you belong with."

"Elena, Rebekah and I are just friends. I've told you that."

Elena smiled. "I know you have. That's also what we spent a couple of years telling Stefan we were."

Damon shook his head. "I never lied to Stefan about how I felt about you. And I'm not lying to you about my relationship with Rebekah."

"I don't think you're lying to me. I think things can change between two people before they even realize it's happening, that's all."

"Give me a few days to think about this and we'll talk this weekend, okay?"

Elena nodded and stood. She leaned over and kissed Damon's cheek. "I love you."

Damon smiled up at her. "I love you too."

TBC

**Does Damon decide to leave Mystic Falls behind and start over with Elena? Or is his new life and new friendship with Rebekah enough to keep him in his home?**


	10. Chapter 10

**I hope you all have enjoyed this ride! It's been an interesting one for me – sometimes you assume you know how something is going to go and it completely surprises you!**

Chapter 10

Damon sat in the oversized leather chair in the library sipping on a glass of wine. Since when did he choose wine over whiskey? Oh yeah, since Rebekah became part of his life. She had turned things upside down. Elena was everything Damon ever wanted. That's what he thought, what he had focused on for the last three years. So why now, when he had exactly what he thought he wanted, was he feeling unsettled and unsure? Why did every inch of his being want to call Rebekah and ask her advice? Why did the idea of leaving Mystic Falls make his stomach clench in dread?

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't hear anyone approaching until the doorbell rang. He stood slowly and walked to the door, not wanting company. He swung open the door with a scowl. "What?"

Rebekah stared at him then frowned. "What the hell is your problem, Salvatore?"

He laughed at her expression. "Sorry, I didn't realize it was you. Wasn't in the mood for company." She handed him the clothes she had worn home that morning and started to turn away when he grabbed her arm. "I said I didn't realize it was you. You, I want to see."

She smiled and walked in the door. "Didn't go well with Elena then?"

He sighed heavily. "See that's the thing. It did go well. That's why I'm confused."

"You're going to have to give me more to go on, Damon. I'm not following."

He smiled and offered her a glass of wine. When she nodded, he continued, "She told Stefan she can't be his friend anymore. Just like I asked."

Rebekah accepted the wine, taking a sip before saying, "That's good right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's good. So I asked if Stefan is leaving Mystic Falls. She said no. We are."

Rebekah's expression went blank. She wasn't sure how to react to that. "You are?"

"That's her plan. And two weeks ago, hell a week ago I probably would have jumped at the idea."

"And now?"

He looked at her, his expression more serious than he'd ever seen it. "I don't want to leave. For the first time since I got back here I have something other than Elena to focus on."

"Like what?"

That made him smile. "Like what? Like you. Like a life outside of all the drama that has been my existence since I met Elena Gilbert."

"But you love her."

"I think I finally understand what people mean when they say sometimes love isn't enough."

"What are you saying, Damon?"

"I'm saying that I don't know that what I feel for Elena is what I want for the rest of my existence. It's different, I'm different than I was when I fell in love with her. I was obsessed with her and with winning her heart. But how much of that was to beat Stefan? He took Katherine from me, whether he intended to or not. She loved him more than me. I wanted him to know what that felt like. I wanted Elena to love me more, to choose me. And now that she has? Doesn't feel like I thought it would."

Rebekah stared at him, stunned by his admission. The Damon she had known would have done anything for Elena. "Are you sure about this?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm positive. And I know why."

"I don't understand Damon."

"I wouldn't expect you to. Because I just figured it out myself. It's because of you, Bekah."

"Me?"

He nodded again, smiling as he pulled her up to stand in front of him. He put his hands on her waist and looked at her. "You showed me a different side to connection, to what it feels like to be with someone, care about someone without it having to do with anything or anyone else."

"What are you saying Damon?" She felt her ancient heart catch as she felt the intensity of his eyes staring into hers.

"I'm saying I'm falling in love with you Rebekah Mikaelson."

"Damon we talked about this. We're just friends." She pulled away from him and turned her back, staring at the window.

He moved up behind her, circling his arms around her waist. "I know that's what we said. But that's not how I feel. If you tell me you don't feel more I'll walk away. But you have to tell me you don't want me."

She turned to face him. "I could tell you that. But I'd be lying."

He pulled her against him and gently kissed her lips. "Never lie to me."

She smiled into his kiss. "I won't. I have to know you're sure about this. Elena has been your focus for three years, Damon."

"Focus, yes. Obsession, yes. Did I love her? Yes. Am I in love with her now? No. Am I falling in love with you? Yes. Absolutely 100% yes."

Her eyes lit up at his certainty. "Okay. I believe you. Now what?"

He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. "I have to tell her."

"Oh. That's not going to be easy."

"No it's not. I don't want to hurt her. But I can't do what she wants and the sooner I'm honest with her, the better for everyone."

Rebekah pulled away and nodded. "I'm going home. You know where I'll be later if you want to see me."

Damon smiled. "There's no 'if' there. I'll call you when I'm heading your way."

Rebekah kissed him softly. "Okay. Good luck."

Damon sighed. "Thanks. I'm going to need it. Her emotions are still all over the place so I'm a little worried about how she will react."

Elena buzzed around the living room while she waited for Damon. She had been surprised to hear from him so soon after they met at the coffee shop. She heard his car approach and waited at the door until she heard his footsteps on the porch then opened it, smiling at him. As soon as she saw the look on his face, her smile faded. Something wasn't right.

"Hey Elena."

"Hey. Come in."

He nodded and walked inside, closing the front door behind him. "Is Jeremy home?"

"No, he's at Matt's. It's just us."

"Okay. Let's sit down."

Elena frowned as she led the way into the living room. "What's wrong, Damon?"

"Elena, I don't know how to say this other than to just say it. So here goes. I can't leave town with you. I belong here."

Elena felt her eyes well up with tears. The worst part of becoming a vampire was losing control of her emotions. "We can stay here," she whispered.

He shook his head. "I knew I would screw this up. What I mean is, this isn't going to work, Elena. I thought it would make a difference if Stefan was out of the picture and if it was just us. But it's too late. Things have changed too much. I've changed too much. I don't feel the same way I did before."

Tears streamed down her face. "I don't understand, Damon. You love me. I love you. What's changed?"

"I'm not in love with you anymore, Elena. It's not something I planned to happen. It just did. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

She looked at him, tears still streaming. "Do you love Rebekah?"

He wiped tears from her face. "It's not about Rebekah."

"That answers my question." She curled up on the couch, her back to Damon. "I need to be alone, Damon."

"Promise me you won't do anything crazy."

"I'm not your problem anymore."

"Elena…"

"No, Damon. How I deal with this is my choice, it's on my conscience not yours. I need to be by myself. Please leave."

Damon stood up and looked at the girl he would have given his existence for. He wished he could take her pain away but he knew that she would survive. She had gotten through much worse. On his way out to his car he called Caroline.

"What do you want, Damon?"

"Will you come be with Elena?"

"Why? What happened to her?"

"Just please do this for her."

Caroline heard the sadness in Damon's voice and while she typically despised the older Salvatore brother she could hear the concern in his pleading. "I'm on my way."

Damon drove around the back roads for a couple of hours. He wanted to see Rebekah but he needed to have a little time to himself first. He was certain of his choice and didn't want Rebekah to misconstrue his concern for regret or second-guessing his decision.

He turned his car toward the Mikaelson mansion while his phone dialed her number. The phone rang several times and he didn't think she was going to answer. As he started to disconnect, he heard her voice. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. Are you okay?"

She hesitated slightly. "It's been a few hours."

It hit him that taking that time had done the exact thing he hadn't wanted to do. It made her doubt that he had gone through with breaking things off with Elena. "Okay I am an idiot. I'm on my way to see you now. Will you let me in?"

She sighed. "Of course I will. How could I resist hearing about you being an idiot?"

He laughed. "Five minutes."

"I'll be waiting."

He pulled into the driveway and parked next to the car Rebekah had been driving since her brother's departure. He moved quickly to the door and found it open with Rebekah standing there, waiting expectantly to hear his story.

"Hey."

She opened the door to let him in but didn't say anything. He walked inside then spun around, grabbed her and pressed her against the door. Despite her irritation at him, her eyes flashed with passion and he smiled. "That's more like it."

She growled and pushed him off easily. "Don't be cocky, Damon. You know me well enough to know what you've put me through tonight."

He nodded. "That's why I'm an idiot because I was trying to do just the opposite." He held out his hand for hers. She reluctantly took his hand and let him lead her into the living room. "When I left Elena's, over two hours ago just for the record, I was sad. Not because I regretted making the choice I made but because I never wanted to hurt her."

Rebekah nodded. For all of Damon's bluster, he had a loving heart. Which is what she had seen as she'd gotten to know him and what had made her begin to fall for him.

"So I didn't want to come here and you see that and think I was regretting my decision. I decided to drive around for a little while before I came to see you. But time slipped away from me and instead of making you feel better, I did the opposite."

Rebekah watched him and saw more glimpses of the man she had seen these past few weeks. She smiled. "You tend to get in your own way, don't you?"

He laughed. "Yeah, you could say that. Forgive me?"

She nodded. "Of course. Might need you to do a bit more soothing of my feelings though."

He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to expand on that but she didn't. She watched him, that same passion flaring in her eyes that he had seen when he pressed her against the front door. "I think I can do that. As much soothing as you need."

Rebekah smiled and waited on Damon to move towards her. He pulled her to him and kissed her neck. "Come upstairs with me."

She nodded and let him lead her up the stairs to her bedroom. Tonight they would continue what they had started the night their friendship began, falling in love with the one who understood them best.

The End.

**Sometimes what you think you want isn't what's meant to be. Thank you to everyone who read along! Until next time….**


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